Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur

Kundapur, Jun 7: A private bus carrying passengers caught fire and was completely gutted at Hulikal Ghat on the Kundapur-Shivamogga state highway 52 on Saturday afternoon. Fortunately, all passengers on board escaped without any injuries.

Due to a ban on vehicular movement following a landslide at Hulikal Ghat, a private bus arriving from Sagar had dropped its passengers near the Sri Chandikamba temple. Another bus, which was heading towards Udupi from Balebare Ghat with 17 passengers on board, caught fire barely 300 meters into its journey.

Acting swiftly, the driver and conductor evacuated the passengers from the vehicle and moved them to a safe distance. Moments after the passengers alighted, thick smoke enveloped the vehicle, and the bus burst into flames.

The incident caused a complete halt in vehicular traffic on the ghat road for some time. With the assistance of locals, the police later cleared the blockade and ensured the smooth flow of traffic.